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Mayhem, Mystery, Murderous Intentions and
Music
return each year to San Juan Capistrano in
our
somewhat authentic Old West Style Melodramas
Here
at the Camino Real Playhouse our brand of
authentic old west style melodramas have
been thrilling audiences each season since
1990. Turn back the calendar and prepare for
a hilarious time that appeals to all ages
where everyone joins in the fun by cheering
the hero, booing the villain and tossing the
occasional foam "rock" at that vile and
reprehensible scoundrel.
If you missed this year's production of
Chaos at the Cannery ... that's just so sad!
So ... be sure to join us in 2009 as we once
again pull out
all the stops for our annual musical
melodrama scheduled to welcome the swallows
back to Capistrano on the 50th anniversary
of the Swallows Day Parade. Melodramas satisfy
everyone's yearning for happy endings ... as
good deeds are rewarded and in the end the
villain discovers that "crime just doesn't
pay" .
In 2009 expect even more mayhem and
music than ever before! And in case you are worried,
have no fear, even though " A Badge may get
Broken" in our upcoming melodrama,
There is always a slew of toe taping 1890's
style melodramatic fun in San Juan. A place
where Villains are always brought to justice
... the Hero always saves the day .. or at least
the Heroine
... and the audience always gets to join in
the action ... well at least
that's our story ... and we're sticking to
it!.
San Juan Capistrano
... a city where the
Heroines are beautiful ... the
Heroes
are heroic and the
Villains
are always vile.
Really ... we're serious ... don't miss out on all the fun in
2009
Yes, you can really buy 2009 tickets online
now!
First Nighters Preview Only $15 • Opening
Night GALA Only $30 • All other performances
only $20
The 2008
Melodrama took us back to San Juan
Capistrano in 1881 to re-live those
days of the old Bedford and Company Cannery.
A candid shot
of some of the cast of our 2008 World
Premier Melodrama - Chaos at the Cannery
Help ... I missed the
2008 Melodrama
... what happened?
The Melodrama opens on a train heading to
the small western town of San Juan
Capistrano back before the turn of the
century … no not this one … the last
century. That’s right … the year was 1881
and California was still one of the last
great frontiers. The the flag had only 38 stars on it
and the one big employer in San Juan was the
Belford and Company Cannery, purveyors of
dried fruits, olives and of course their
very popular fig marmalade all marketed
under the label of “San Juan’s Best”.
Chaos at the Cannery
is the story of a new sheriff, an old
profession, a loyal family and a rowdy town.
We mixed in an ample amount of mayhem,
murder and mystery with a dash of schemers,
scalawags and scoundrels, one hero, two
generations of heroines, a stolen badge and
a whole slew of toe tapping authentic old
time music. If you missed this one ... you
really missed a good time. I guess you'll
have to catch it again in a few years. Still
... all hope is not lost ... we have a new
melodrama coming in 2009 and you are invited
to join us for some new shenanigans
Highlights from our 2007 Production of
Help ... I missed the Melodrama
... what happened?
Don't have a "conniption fit" ... alright ... the Professor went
off to jail ... again ... Jenna Rossity
found her true love ... the Hot Springs
Hotel was saved and a family searching for
each other found one other even from beyond
the grave. Hey it was touching if you were
there ... if not ... you'll just have to wait
until this melodrama comes back around.
Late Breaking News:
That
Scoundrel Professor Mack did manage to escape from the
hoosegow ... again ... and actually turned
up at a wedding on Hoosegow day in 2008
dispensing his usual supply of mayhem and
mischief actually objecting to the wedding
... really we wouldn't lie to you.
Cast Photo of
our 2007 World Premier Melodrama - Trouble
Bubbles at the Hot Springs
Our Playhouse's Founder
Tom Scott was the director for our 2007
world premier melodrama
IF YOU MISSED OUR
RECORD BREAKING 2006 MELODRAMA
Written By Gary McCarver
Here's
what you missed:
Dirty Deeds at the Depot centered around the
"goin's on" at the old San Juan Capistrano
Santa Fe
Train Depot.
In our melodrama you were transported back to
the glory days of the train depot. The year
was 1895.
Enters gentle young Lacie
Camisole awaiting the arrival of
the Chicago train
and her future
husband chosen by her father. Lacie resigned
herself to her fate until discovering that the new
stationmaster was her long lost
sweetheart Justin Time.
Did this surprising revelation
change the course of Lacie's future? Was the
arrival of Professor Mack's medicine show
merely a coincidence or did he have a
nefarious scheme or two up his sleeve? Did the
Local School Marm - Helen Highwater or the
Villain’s sidekick - Duncan Disorderly ruin
Lacie's chances for true happiness? Did the
local telegraph agent really sing two of the
hit songs from the production? And what
series of events could have possibly brought the
famous Wyatt Earp to the little town of San
Juan Capistrano?
Help ... I missed the Melodrama. Tell me what happened.
Hold your horses. Alright ... the Professor went
off to jail ... no surprises there. Dusty saved the Depot from getting "blown
up". Helen Highwater got sweet on the
villain's sidekick Duncan. Justin
finally married his childhood sweetheart Lacie.
There were gun twirlers. Senior San
Juan made frequent visits and the San Juan
town folk made dozens of guest "walk on"
appearances ... including our town's very
own Wyatt Hart (former mayor of San Juan and
city council member) acting as Wyatt Earp.
Wyatt Earp ... by the way ... as legend
tells ... actually did pass through San
Juan on his way to the Alaskan gold fields. At
least that is our story and we are sticking
to it! Oh yes ... in case you were wondering
... they all lived happily ever after. But
that Slimy Scoundrel Professor Thaddeus
Snavley Mack did manage to escape from the
hoosegow to resume his malicious mischief
making in San Juan Capistrano in this
continuing scoundrelous saga.
San Juan Capistrano
... a city where the
Heroines are beautiful ... the
Heroes
are heroic and the
Villains
are always vile.
Really ... we're serious ... don't miss out on all the fun in
2009
Yes you can really buy your Tickets Online
Now!
First Nighters Preview Only $15 • Opening
Night GALA Only $30 • All other performances
only $20
Making Melodramas at the Camino Real
Playhouse
Some of the characteristics of authentic
melodrama include: That villainy is always
distinct from honesty; virtue always
overcomes vice, and there is a happy ending.
There is always a hero, always a villain and
always a heroine. They are typically fast
moving and emphasize the agony that the hero
or heroine must go through before good over
can triumph over evil. Other stereotypical
characters include a sheriff, the ‘fallen’
woman, and comical friends who face almost
insurmountable odds shared with the hero or
the heroine.
Melodramas are characterized by acting which
incorporates large gestures and lavish
facial expressions which denote specific
characteristics and emotions. Sometimes
almost slap-stick comedy in nature. In the
Old West ... this acting style was necessary
so that the people sitting way up the back
of theatres could understand the
action ... today we still keep acting that
way just because it's more fun that way! Plays chosen are re-set in our town of San Juan Capistrano in the late
1800s and include improvisational pokes and jabs (all in
jest) at our friends in the local community.
Whether you're the mayor or
just a proprietor of our local saloon ...
don't be surprised if your name comes up. And if you heckle the actors ...
be prepared for a scathing rebuttal.
 The "melo" in our melo-dramas
comes from the melody used to highlight and
underscore our productions. From
"honky-tonk" or "rag time" pianos to
authentic cowboy guitar music, we bring live
music of some sort right on stage and we
stay true to old western style melodrama
with live sound effects
provided for each rip-roaring
performance. We have been graced by the
talents of some pretty talented pianists
over the years, but you really missed it in
2006 when Linda joined the cast playing some
hot rag time at intermission.
The virtuous hero or vivacious heroine is
hounded by a villain and then rescued from a
series of life threatening events over and
over as our episodic story unfolds. Plot
devices like disguise, abduction, concealed
identity and fortunate coincidence are often
used just to keep the audience guessing what
will come next. Characters such as friends
of the hero or heroine provide comic relief
and, of course, help out with the singing
and dancing.
LEFT - No Opera
at the Op'ry House 2005 San Juan Melodrama
photo by Richard Clinton -
www.RichardClinton.com
RIGHT -
Showdown at the Rainbow Ranch 2004 Melodrama
photo by Richard Clinton -
www.RichardClinton.com
 
Each scene typically ends with a climax and
often the villain looks like he will succeed
in his nefarious plot. Look for plenty of
fist fights and shoot 'em-ups in our annual
thrilling tales of passion and greed. Boo
the villain and cheer the hero. You are even
encouraged to grab a foam "rock" or two that
we have scattered around the audience and
hurl, toss or lob them at the villain as he
displays his larceny on stage. Please avoid
lobbing the foam "rocks" at our beautiful
heroine or our stalwart hero and only throw
the foam "rocks" we provide ... real rocks
or plastic fruit tossed on stage tend to
keep actors from returning for their next
performance.
Coming in 2009
Another World Premier Melodrama
Yes this is a
"Shameless Plug"
San Juan Capistrano
... a city where the
Heroines are beautiful ... the
Heroes
are heroic and the
Villains
are always vile.
Really ... we're serious ... don't miss out on all the fun in
2009
Yes, you can really buy 2009 tickets online
now!
First Nighters Preview Only $15 • Opening
Night GALA Only $30 • All other performances
only $20
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